


The End is Nigh

by LadyHarpy



Category: No Fandom
Genre: Comdey, Dark Fantasy, Drama, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fantasy, Gen, High Fantasy, Horror, Multi, Mutilation, Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Original Fiction, Original Mythology, Psychological Drama, Romance, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-16 22:34:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19327459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyHarpy/pseuds/LadyHarpy
Summary: The world has gone mad, corrupted by desire and greed. Not even the gods are able to resist the temptations laid before them and slowly the world as humanity knows it begins to crumble. With no other option left to save the world from itself, one woman is tasked with righting the wrongs and delivering justice upon the land...Of course, sometimes doing the right thing doesn't make you look like a hero.





	The End is Nigh

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! 
> 
> This is an original work of mine that I am looking to refine into something more. However, you can't make something better without having it checked and criticized. As you read this, I would appreciate honest and constructive criticism. By that i mean don't write 'it sucks' without giving me a reason as to why it sucks. The more you share, the better I can make it. This is just the first written chapter and over time I will keep adding more! Hopefully, by the end I will have the story I have always dreamed of writing.

Darkness is such a consuming element in the world. 

Shadows devour the paths of man as the light shines from behind them, night chases after the day in a constant and desperate race while humans all try so desperately to forget for a small moment the inevitable death awaiting them at the end. The only hope that they have is that maybe they shall pass in their sleep, quietly and peacefully. They feel no pain, only just going out like the last embers on a candle. 

Others are not so lucky to pass that way.  
\----  
Gwenora had been in darkness for so long she had lost track of time. Had it been hours or days? Food and water no longer came. There wasn't even enough energy to sit up on the floor of her cell, the bars blending in with the shadows and stone, giving the illusion that she was about to walk right out. It was a lie, like much of her life had been up to this point. Wheezing, she didn't even have a voice to cry out again for a guard, knowing she was too deep to be heard. The young woman just signed, coughing as the nasty smell of filth around her made it hard to breathe. These were her last moments, the very last seconds of her life as a final breath left her body.

Then there was light. 

The air was clean, and the woman was standing. She no longer felt the pain that had consumed her body, the empty hunger that had filled her stomach. Blinking, Gwenora found herself feeling very confused. The lights around her were blinding, making her grimace and groan in discomfort. What was this? Was this heaven? 

"Welcome, Child." Came a disembodied voice, it filled the air around her. "It is time for your judgment." 

"My judgment?" She stammered, her face scrunched and confused as the light still burned her eyes. "Who are you? Where am I?" 

Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and Gwenora gasped before stumbling back. Before her, sitting in grand and glorious chairs, were the gods themselves — each one elegant and beautiful with immortality and power. Filled with awe, she could only fall to her knees. What else was a mortal to do before the gods?

"Oh, my gods..." She said, soon clapping a hand over her mouth as she took their name in vain. 

"Relax child; you are not collecting mortal sin here. You are to get judged for your actions in life. You have been brought forth to see where you will spend eternity."

Slowly pulling her hand from her lips, Gwenora looked between all of the gods for the first time with detail. She didn't worship them herself, but she knew exactly who they were. First, there was Hazenar; the head of the Pantheon. He was the god of the Sky, Virtues, and time. He was the largest, he shined the brightest and was lovely to behold. It wasn't shocking to know that in many legends he had enjoyed the company of mortal women without much resistance. Who could say no to such a good-looking immortal?

To his left was the goddess of Fertility, Abundance, and Love; Zetris. She was lovely and lush, a woman whom all men would bend at the knee. She brought forth good harvest and healthy children. This goddess was also the one whom Gwenora was born under, which was believed to earn her favor in beauty and health. Beyond her was the Goddess Dotrix; her domain was Pride, Power, and Courage. She looked vicious and striking, just as lovely as she was deadly. No fool would ever think to question her ability on the battlefield. To Hazenar's Right was Vonos, the god of Honesty, knowledge, and Judgement. He was the only god standing at the moment, flipping through a massive book. He was just as lovely as the others, though long faced and stoic. Finally, there one chair left, but it seemed to lack a god altogether. 

Gwenora was confused, as she had only known about the four gods all her life. To see a fifth chair was unsettling. Who did it belong too?

"Gwenora Duraril, come forward." Spoke Vonos, the god looking down his nose at her. She shuffled forward, standing as tall as she could manage in their presence. 

"Gwenora, you have lived an unfortunate but morally righteous life. Though you have gotten pulled by sin, you have not once given in, even if it would have prevented you from suffering pain." Vonos began, setting own the massive book before her as it suddenly whirled to with a vision of her life. The pain she suffered in the last years of her time on earth. 

It was upsetting to witness it all over again, the gods plain-faced as she got molested, raped, and enslaved for years before getting replaced and left to rot to death in the dungeons of the castle she once happily served. Gwenora had to remind herself that as gods, they saw thousands of lives all the time, judged them and then sent them off. There was no time for them to feel pity.

"Because of your resilience to the plagues of sin. You have placed rightfully in the golden fields of heaven." The god answered, motioning to a door that slowly opened to reveal the beauty of the afterlife.

It was glorious. Gwenora could only feel tears running down her face as she gazed upon the shimmering plains of wheat, people picnicking with loved ones and dancing to songs that played without instruments. However, as she looked upon the spirits playing and dancing, she noticed something odd about some of those graced with heaven’s gifts. It had been a very long time, and she spent the last several years of her life in the dark, but she was certain of what she saw. 

“Is...Is that Lord Gurak the Terrible?”

He was a man from her history books as a child, having been on his deathbed before she was born. From what she remembered of him he was a powerful and wealthy man who worshipped the gods. However, the whole of his reign over his lands was chaotic and deadly, leading to the slaughter of thousands and killing off three full family lines of inheritance to keep himself in power. The crimes he committed here awful and heinous. 

How did a horrible man like that get into heaven!?

As she made this conclusion, Gwenora began to point out more and more tyrants from her history books, people that had been cursed to hell by those they left behind. What chaos was this!? Turning back to the gods, they all were chatting lightly with one another. No doubt they all just assumed that she would have blindly walked into heaven without much thought or resistance. Who could say no to heaven? However, even she found it odd that evil beings roamed about those fields. Suddenly, heaven wasn’t so appealing anymore. However, the gods could be vengeful...and she could just be suffering through the reality of her demise and be imagining things, anything to not accept her fate. Thinking on it, she decided that maybe heaven really wasn’t meant for her. Not yet.

"What if I don't want to go?" Gwenora spoke, startling Zetris while the other's gave her a questioning stare. 

"My Child...Why would you not want to go?" The goddess of Fertility asked, her tone gentle and kind as she slowly slipped from her seat. 

Even as the goddess knelt, she was a giant compared to Gwenora. The mortal was easily dwarfed by the hand that approached her, gently cupping her up and lifting her into the air. Looking at Zetris in the eye, the young woman could only pout before motioning around herself. "I am honored to be here before you all, but I find it insulting that I got deprived of the wonders of life. You saw for yourselves the horrors done unto me. Do I not deserve a chance to experience life for myself? Does my moral good not earn me some second chance?" 

To dare to question the gods was unheard of, especially for the gods themselves. Zetris gave a nervous laugh, looking to Hazenar with uncertainty as the head god seemed insulted by the mortal's daring request.

"Child, you ask for more than you deserve." Replied, Dotrix. "You are no warrior; you have not earned a right for rebirth in any matter."

"Then what was the point of all my resistance? Why are all my hard work and determined moral code only to be rewarded with merely being pushed along with like every other soul? Have I not prayed to you still when I went hungry, called upon you for protection as I rotted from the inside out? Is all you are willing to give this!? Not to mention I am very certain that I have looked upon the face of sinners in that place. How could they have been given such comfort in heaven when they made life on earth hell for others?" Gwenora said, motioning back to the drunken stupor of spirits in the plains of heaven, it now hardly seeming like paradise and more like a fever dream that no one could escape. 

"Now, Now, my child," Zetris began. "You must understand that we can't go around making exceptional cases for every mortal soul. If we let everyone go back to earth for wrongful death the place would get overrun! Besides, we are simply putting people where they belong, I’m certain it is the shock of your death lingering on your soul making you feel as if there is something wrong."

"So then only the warriors get to be reborn? That sounds like you're playing favorites! Is this why there is a horrible dictator drinking wine in heaven?" Gwenora snarked, glaring at Dotrix who glared back at the woman's insult. 

"You are pushing your luck, child." The goddess of pride growled. 

"I'm dead! I don't have any luck to push!" Gwenora snapped back. 

"Enough!" Thundered Hazenar, his tone harsh and angered. The mortal woman flinched, a little worried that maybe she had pushed a bit too hard. 

"You are a very determined soul. However, it would be best if you went where you belong." The sky god said, reaching out to grasp the mortal. 

Gwenora should have just done as she was told and wandered into heaven without any issue. The woman couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't how it should go. It wasn't going to all end like this! The woman moved without thinking, stepping back from the reaching hand of Hazenar. Gwenora smacked at one of the fingers, startling the larger god at the sudden hit. After all, a mortal never resisted them like this before. She jumped from Zetris' hand, making the goddess squeak. Falling to the ground, she stumbled and rolled on the floor shaken by the displacement for a moment. Gwenora recovered in enough time to gasp at Vonos who was making a reach to grab her. Spinning herself away, she began to dodge amongst the pillars of the large room, all the gods now having jumped to life in an attempt to catch her. 

"Don't let her get to the door!" Hazenar called, his voice booming with displeasure while the other gods hurried along. Though she was small, she could easily switch directions compared to the gods, causing Vonos and Dotrix to run into each other as she dived between one of their legs. There were only three doors in that room, one that leads to heaven, one to hell and one to earth. Heaven was wide open, and hell had a nasty and awful looking lock hanging from it to keep the beautiful things out and the ugly stuff inside. That meant the last door was the one to earth. Running with all her might, she noticed that as she approached the door, it shrunk to her size as if beckoning her to grab the handle.

Just as Gwenora was about to reach it and relish in her victory, Zetris grabbed her, encasing the woman in her palm. Screaming from inside, the tiny human proceeded to throw a fit, kicking and screaming as the love goddess fully stood and turned to the others with a nervous expression. "She's a biter."

"Well, that's never happened before." Vonos began, turning to the other two. "You both certainly seemed to push her buttons more than I ever thought possible for such a tiny being."

"If only she had that much fight in life. We might have considered her an option to be reborn." The Pride goddess snarked, wandering over to Zetris who seemed hesitant to pass the little being still screaming and biting at her palm. 

"She's too dangerous to release in heaven now." Hazenar plainly stated, returning to his throne as he motioned with a wave of his hand to another area of the enchanted room. "Go cage her until she's calmed. Maybe a century or two will help the mortal adjust with her death."

Gwenora was not pleased to hear this as she sat in the darkness of the giant hand. Even so, she saw nothing wrong with how she acted. Why should she behave if they had no sound reasoning behind their actions? What sort of gods were they? It was clear that something was going on and she didn’t like it! How could she rest in peace knowing that there was shady happenings around her? Huffing, the woman merely kicked some more as Zetris carried her off somewhere. It didn't take long for her to get dropped from the palm into another barred room. Growling, she looked up at the goddess with sharp eyes, Zetris only giving a shy smile before she leaned down a bit to look through the bars. 

"I'm sorry little one. I know this isn't ideal. However, you've proven to be a little too feisty for the plains of heaven at the moment."

"So, do you always do what Hazenar says? You're a goddess, you know." The mortal spirit pipped up, irritated but also knowing very well screaming was pointless.

Sighing, The love goddess shrank herself, now appearing of similar size to Gwenora as she hovered beside the cage, a strange series of steps suddenly appearing and allowing her to stand upon them. 

"You're not happy with heaven? We've made it all so nice for you." 

"Anything can be considered pleasant when you've spent the last of your life starving in the dark." The woman retorted, earning a grimace of sorts from the goddess. “Besides, dead or not, I’m not blind. I was educated back on earth and I know with certainty that there are horrible sinners running about those plains. Somethings wrong!” 

"I do not have the power to give you what you want. God or not, that is not where my powers lie, child." 

"I know...I just- I thought I'd get to enjoy it all someday — that whole silly little fantasy of a happy ending. Even after all that happened to me I still had hope. Guess that was pointless." Gwenora huffed, sighing as she closed her eyes and turned away from the goddess. "If you aren't going to free me you might as well go back to your throne with the others and continue whatever horror you are up to."

There was silence from the goddess, a sigh soon following before footsteps sounded, signaling that Gwenora was once more trapped and alone. Thankfully, the state of this cage was far better than the dungeon that she died inside. There was a cot and a pillow, along with a thick blanket. Standing up, the mortal soul wandered over to the bed and flopped down, grumbling before she pulled herself under the covers to wait. After all, she doubted she was going to be let out of here any time soon. 

There was no way to see time pass in this place; it always seemed to have a lovely and dim glow about it. It fit for beings that didn't need to understand time, but for Gwenora it made it rather difficult to settle in. She had no idea how long she just laid there until she heard steps. Sitting up, she glanced around curiously before shuffling over to the side of the cage where the stairs started. At first, there was no one. Only the sound of something slowly approaching. However, after some time a strange murky creature appeared. It looked like it was slithering along, even with footsteps echoing around her. It was dripping with black oozes, like rotting flesh and tar. Gwenora couldn't believe that such a being would also be able to walk in the place of the gods. Had something escaped from hell? 

Stepping back as the being arrived at her cage, she stared at it nervously. It was wheezing, out of breath and weakened to the point of slumping into a pile of gunk, the nasty stuff slipping through the bars and angrily hissing as if it was melting the metal. It sat there for a while, faceless and harsh sounding while Gwenora could only back herself up against the opposite side of the cage. 

"You...are tenacious, young one." The blob stated slowly, wheezing still as it spoke. "It did not take long for me to hear of your blatant resistance to their solution to mortal souls. I am intrigued by your plight."

"You speak?" She questioned, not believing that a moving pile of tar and death could have thought.

"Ah, I suppose my current state is unsettling for a mortal such as yourself. I can assure you; I am just like the others..." It said, pausing to gasp in the middle before going on. "It has been far too long since proper worship." 

"You- You're a god?" Gwenora pointed out, her gaze going from uncertain to curious as she stepped off the cage wall. "You don't look like one." 

"Maintaining a pleasing appearance takes power, child...this is what I can manage with what I still have. Eventually, I'll fade away completely. Hazenar sees no issue with that, but he forgets it's my existence that keeps the dark, nasty things from growing out of control."

"To think the god of virtue that I worshiped as a child could be so heartless." 

"You overestimated his compassion. A man of his position is willing to turn a blind eye if it means he will not suffer discomfort."

"I've noticed," Gwenora said slowly. "Wouldn't even consider having me reborn. Dotrix seems to believe that only warriors are worthy of such a thing." 

The puddle of murk chuckled, soon hacking and sending forth a stream of red that the woman dodged just in time to watch hit some of the bars and then melt through them. Looking to the gunk with horror, it merely gasped and shook, the puddle pulling back in before spreading out in a different manner that benefited its comfort. "Apologies...the death of a god is a long and volatile time. One moment I vomit sand, the next it is acid."

"You're dying? Gods can die?" She asked, her tone shocked as she slowly took a seat upon her cot, getting as close as the gunk and sludge would allow her. Dead or not, it was clear that even in this place damage could still be done.

"In a sense, I shall always exist in my most basic form, what I represent is what I am, as it is for the others. Death shall forever be, the same as destruction and darkness. However, without myself at a decent enough strength, my domain shall grow out of control. Hazenar and the others seem to forget that, save for Zetris."

"She seemed upset to have to lock me away, not that she resisted."

"The idea of putting a child that was born under her into a cage upsets her. However, you've shown that maybe the fields of peace and endless drink aren't for you- yet."

"I did have a moment there." 

"Understandably so. I may not have sat in my chair, but I saw your life. The horrors done unto you only prove more of what I believe. It's just those that benefit from ignoring the issue are in no rush to fix the problem." The nasty slime gurgled, soon growing tall again as if standing. "It is why I am here."

"Wait- You came to visit me intentionally?"

"Zetris loves all her children, more than ever you could understand. Unlike the other gods she has lists and plans- her dedication is obsessive."

"She told you of me. Why waste your time coming to see one crazy little mortal?" Gwenora questioned.

"Simple, child," The murk started, turning as if to show that it was looking at her. "You and I have similar desires." 

Gwenora was silent for a moment, looking at the strange standing muck before crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes squinted as if trying to see if this little weak little god was honest. Her distrust was understandable all things considered. 

"What are you proposing?" The woman asked slowly. 

"It's not too complicated of an offer. You see, I am weak because there is a flaw in our ways up here in the Pantheon. Us gods are as strong as the belief of our followers. The more worship we gain, the higher our strength. If we lack devotion from believers, we weaken. However, in the last few centuries, things have gotten...forgotten." 

"Such as yourself." 

"Exactly. No one likes to worship the terrible things in life. However, they forget that without me, those terrible things would be wild and out of control. As long as I live the mortals at least know death will be predictable, darkness will be dark, and destruction will have a cause."

"So then, you want to prevent your death?" 

"And then some." The blob continued. "You see, Hazenar has maintained his power and his throne by making sure his worship is the highest. However, to maintain such levels comes at a price. He's allowing tainted souls into the plains of heaven." 

"So I wasn’t crazy!" Gwenora gasped. “I swore I saw a tyrant from my history lessons as a child. The moment I did every part of me wanted to run away. Something felt so...wrong!” 

"It is true, he turns a blind eye to certain things if the person's worship was at a certain level. Its most common among the wealthy and noble, those who can pay tribute in one day that thousands would take months to reach. He'll tell high priests in his temples to spread the word to the wealthy. Common folk such as yourself stand no chance in comparison. Forgiveness can happen when able, but it must be earned. The people he lets in have sinned until death. It's disgusting! We had this system designed to be fair, and he is ripping it apart as he pleases!" The dying god growled, the blob shaking with the noise. 

"He's throwing off the whole balance to stay in charge. That crafty monster!" Gwenora said, glaring in anger. "He's throwing things out of order! What happens to those who are too low even to make worship?"

"They take the place of the wealthy in hell. It's a terrible sight. I've tried to speak up on it in the past, but Dotrix is like his guard dog. I could never beat her in battle, and she did not stand for anything that would unsettle the arrangements in place. She also benefits, as she has been allowed to reborn her warriors for her enjoyment. Not one person born under her sign has gone to heaven or hell. Stuck in a horrid loop of rebirth."

"The gods have gotten drunk on power. Over worshipped to the point of not knowing what to do with whatever energy lingers. As my mother said, idle hands are the demon's plaything." 

"And the other gods are no exception, sadly." The blob said, sighing deeply. "When such things happened in the past, I had the power to do a balance check...but at some point, I couldn't keep up."

"So now the world is just waiting for the end until the gods end up killing themselves as they become gluttons for power?" The woman hissed, looking away for a second before kicking at one of the bars. 

"Well, only if you don't consider my offer." The muck added on. "It's been so long since I've begun one, but I believe a purge is in order."

Gwenora turned back to the blob, blinking slowly before giving a bit of a smirk. "Now, dear god, you have my full undivided attention." 

"Hmm, I was hoping I would. Now listen, child, a purge is simple. We've used many forms in the past, such as famine or flood. Sure it killed many good, but just as many sinners parted, and it tamed the corruption. I no longer have that power, as I can barely maintain myself, let alone a controlled death storm. I need something smaller, and functional without me."

"I think I see where this is going. You plan to use me to carry out your purge." 

"Zetris was right; you are frighteningly smart for a mortal."

Gwenora chuckled to herself, giving a smile before standing up from the cot and wandering over to the standing blob. Looking at it, she put her hands on her hips slowly, scanning the being one last time before motioning with her hand. 

"Alright, what's the deal?" 

"Go restore my name and my worship, build up my strength and power so that I might be able to stand up to Hazenar and correct this terrible mess he's making in his laziness and greed. Also, weaken him and the others by devouring the sinners who think they can buy their way into the heavens. In return, I'll return you to earth and turn a blind eye to whatever vengeance you'll have for the fool who hurt you."

"You'll- you'll send me back home? I can get revenge?" Gwenora said softly, her tone shocked and awed by the idea alone. She never considered the idea even when alive, but to get a second chance...Well, she couldn’t rightly turn it down.

"Technically, yes. However, I must warn you that you won't be as you remember yourself. Time flows differently here and entirely reviving you is out of my limits. I will do enough so that you will be able to carry out the tasks. After that, depending on my strength when this is all done, I'll see what I can do. Even if you give me enough power to face Hazenar, the excess energy needed to complete the task of revival is difficult to gather. Putting an old soul in a new body is easy; rebuilding an old body is not. It was a design to keep mortals from getting ideas on cheating death."

"I see...So however I come out, I have to make you stronger and weaken the others. Not an easy job for a mortal soul." Gwenora pointed out, looking up at the blob that was now slipping around the cage slowly as if pacing. "I assume you have something in mind for that as well." 

"I shall guide you on your way, and grant you a gift or two to make the job easier. Your new form will also have some benefits. Later on, I shall assist once I have gained more power. I care little about how you do it, only that you accomplish the given task."

"So, get rid of the troublesome humans and build your following up from the dust. I don't suppose there is another option?" 

"Not unless you are considering waiting here and seeing how long it takes them to remember you. You may not starve anymore, but this isn't exactly a place to be entertained for a millennium."

Gwenora huffed, shaking her head quickly at the idea before motioning to the stairs just beyond the bars. "On second thought, get me out of here before they have time to consider visiting me." 

"Splendid. I shall free you and send you off. Once you are home, our connection will be fragile. At best, you might be able to hear part of me speaking, at worst, I’ll only be able to reach you in minor acts. Grow my worship as quickly as possible so that we might communicate better." The blob said with a bit of cheer in their tone. 

Slipping back out of the cage, it paused while some bars were inside of it, a hissing sound filling the air before it continued slowly down the stairs. It left a large opening in the cage; only nubs left where the bars had once been. Stepping out, she hurried after the dying god in order not to get lost. When first arriving, the place didn't seem very large. It was only in her running that she learned that things did not visually appear in the same way they did on earth. What looked like a small room felt like traveling across the country. Thankfully, working with a god made such movement around the place more accessible. As they arrived at the earth door, the god turned and paused a moment, a gurgling gag sounding before something popped out of its top. 

"Take this; it will protect you while I am still too weak — a charm from the olden days when all us gods had champions and not just money making pigs." 

Picking up the item from the floor, Gwenora slipped the strange looking bracelet on her wrist. It was lovely, pure gold and carved with markings so intricate that no mortal metal worker could ever hope to mimic it. Giving a slight grin, she glanced back up at the blob. 

"Sadly, I don't know your name, my god. Can't rightly have people worship a being that has no name." The woman pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest lightly. 

"Siddon. It's an old name, so treat it with respect, child. Also, be careful with it. It may be a dead name, but some mortals still remember the old ways. They could be a problem if they are on Hazenar's side. You best watch who you befriend in the time to come."

"I understand. I guess I'll see you on the other side?" 

"Yes, you shall. You will know what to do upon your arrival; I promise you that. Just do yourself a favor, don't scream." 

"What?" 

Before Gwenora could get an answer from the deathly muck, the earth door slammed open, a vortex of wind rushing into it and quickly dragged her through the frame. Crying out as she was yanked through, the door slammed shut in her face and then, without warning, she gasped. 

Sitting up straight in an instant, Gwenora was once more back in her cell. The smell was awful but not nearly as bad as she remembered it. It seemed that the place aired out in the time the lady was dead. Shuffling about in the dark, she tried to figure out where she was in her cell. After all, returning to her body was making her feel weird. Gwenora could still use all her senses, but she felt lighter than before. Then again, she had been starving to death and just rewoke with a god's power. The woman probably had more energy than before. As she moved to stand, her hand pressed into something thick and squishy, the feeling of it through her fingers both awful and new. Had her fingers gotten longer?

Moving her hand to her face, she noticed two things instantly. The first was that the moment she tried to focus her eyes, the world suddenly lit up as if she was built to see in the dead of night. The second, and more disturbing, was that her hand lacked flesh. Horrified, the woman then lifted her arm, eyes running down as nothing but the pure white bone was visible and moving. There was no skin or muscle, not even tendon, what she had pressed her hand into...was her rotting flesh. Jumping up, Gwenora gagged and huffed, remembering just barely that screaming had been advised against by Siddon. Panic filled the woman as skeleton hands moved to her face, feeling the gap of her jaw and her exposed teeth. Hollow sockets that got prodded and felt no pain, yet still able to see while doing so. Looking down at her chest, which was nothing but a ribcage, she noticed that hovering inside was a grey orb. 

It swirled and twisted like water at sea, shimmering even in the darkness around her. This thing seemed to be holding her skeleton together, be it godly magic or her soul. Nervously, and whimpering as she did, she reached a hand into the ribcage to touch it, shuddering as she felt the touch of her boney fingers. Alright, she was never going to do that again. The woman realized that this was what the god had meant. Her body just hadn't been dead for minutes. It was gone long enough for the flesh to rot off. Her work just got a lot more complicated. Gwenora took in a deep breath if that was what she could even call it considering she lacked lungs, trying to gather herself. She was the pawn of a god now; she didn't have time to have an existential crisis. The woman would handle her feelings on her body later. She had to get out now while she still could. If anyone found her like this, they'd instantly try to destroy her at all costs. Undead weren't welcome beings in human cities.

Wandering over to the bars of her cell, she looked them over curiously. The death god told her that she'd have abilities in her new body, but never openly listed them. Trying to think of something, an idea popped into her head. Considering she was all bone now, and she had been a small woman to begin with, her skeletal form had a lot more movement than one of flesh. Approaching the bars, she slipped an arm out, carefully moving until she got to her ribs, they were just a little too wide to push through, but she turned and tucked a bar into her ribs. 

 

The feeling made her shudder as it pressed into the soul, but she was able to move forward and rotate enough that with ease she was beyond the bars, the only thing left in her cell now the rotting pile of her former flesh. Gwenora glanced around and realized the dungeon was rather empty this far down. She had thought there were more people when she was alive. At least, that was what she could remember hearing. Quietly, Gwenora made her way through the hall checking other cells to see if there was life. So far, only abandoned corpses. Other people who had not been as lucky as her or had been foolish enough to accept the fate of the greedy gods. A small part of her wondered how long it had been. How long did it take for a body to decompose to the bone? Gwenora wasn't even sure how long she had gotten imprisoned. Long enough for someone to forget she was down there all together and stop sending food.

That would be her first job, finding out how long it had been all together since she was on the surface — the second, figuring out how she was supposed to go about 'devouring' the sinful people messing with the levels of worship. Gwenora might have been just a bit too eager to get home. She should have asked more questions. It was too late to worry about all that now, first, Gwenora had to focus on getting out of the dungeon and seeing what was in store for her in the castle. Last she remembered, the jail was near the throne room which was where the main doors were. She couldn't die, according to Siddon, so in theory, she could walk right out the front door. However, just leaving would deprive her of a prime chance to kill off the nasty bastard that put her in such a position in the first place. 

Kind Reginald Raynoldus was a young king in the time she had come to his castle as a lady of the court. She wasn't of high nobility, but her beauty had pushed her rather high into the courts' favor. It was no surprise the lusty king would lay eyes upon her with devious intent. She dodged his advances at first in gentle banter, but over time he grew more adamant and eventually impatient. It was easy for the king to cut her ties from her loved ones and sever any connections to safety she had as she came from distant lands. After that, it was a downward spiral. The rape, the abuse, and then the enslavement. Eventually, he grew bored of her and tossed her away to rot while he chased after his next victim. 

He was going to be one of the ones she'd relish in the killing.

Gwenora paused as she heard shuffling that wasn't her own. The noise seemed to be coming from a cell, along with soft and nervous crying. It seemed she had finally reached the parts of the dungeon that was still in use. This fact also meant that she might be able to get a few answers. Moving up against the wall so that she would be out of sight of the person locked away, Gwenora carefully peeked around the corner. It was at this moment that the woman was grateful for her new undead night vision. It was a young man sitting there, just having come into his early twenties. He was in rags and looked shaken to the core. There was an empty plate of gruel, so that meant he was still getting food. Good, she was going to need someone fresh enough in the system to get remembered. Looking closer at the young man, she could also see that he was giving off a light glow. It was luminous and shimmering, almost as if he was getting bathed in light somehow.

"Why are you crying?" She cooed, doing her best to sound sweet and kind.

The fool jolted in shock, looking around nervously in the cell before shakily standing up. The young man had a limp, hinting he got beaten before getting tossed into the cell. Limping over to the bars, the young man coughed, pressing harshly against them in an attempt to see something in the darkness. "W- who's there?"

Gwenora was silent for a second, deciding that being a little coy would benefit her most. "A concerned friend. You seem new to this place. What has brought you here?"

"I was stealing food. Since the enactment of the rations the people have been starving."

"Rations? Starving? What is happening up above?" 

"You don't know?" The young man asked, his tone nervous. "How long have you been down here?" 

"I wish I knew," Gwenora replied plainly. "I have lost all sense of time in the dark." 

"W-well, resources have grown scarce. There isn't much going around anymore. The king has run our country dry in his greed. We were blind to it at first since it brought in so much gold, but he was selling to other countries for profit. Eventually, he commandeered all produced products for personal gain. By the time we realized what was going on, it was too late for us all. People like my family are struggling to stay alive as he runs our bodies into the ground with labor."

"How awful. King Reginald seems to have only soured with age." 

"Y-yeah, he's a monster. There are even rumors he's killed all of his lovers and queens if they bored him. No one knows for sure." 

Gwenora felt herself shuddering at the words, knowing that she was the first in what was a massive list of poor women. She hadn't gotten outright attacked, but she would be foolish to think that the brute of a king would be above getting his hands dirty. Clicking her fingers in thought, she spoke carefully once more to the young man. "Do you know what year it is?"

"Ah- um...It should be 1320. I haven't been down here more than a few days at most."

At first, she didn't want to believe it. After all, that implied so much terrible stuff. To start, that meant that she had gotten imprisoned for over a decade. Following that, that meant her body had got left for dead and remained unburied for a certain number of years for such rot to set in upon her return. Gwenora, a woman who had consumed a mad kings mind, had been forgotten and disrespected so harshly that the fool didn't even think to see if she was living anymore! It was such a disgusting insult that she wanted to scream in rage. The lady kept her temper though, the young man here wasn't the cause of her troubles. No, he was going to be apart of her solution.

"tell me, young man," Gwenora began. "I am making my way to the surface; I am hoping to leave. However, I am uncertain of what lies ahead. You have most recently traveled the path; what is waiting for me along the way?"

"There are only a few guards, and they only waste enough light for the first few cells. The rest of us sit in the dark until they bring us food, if at all. Be careful of the nasty folk, the real criminals that the king only holds to keep the people at bay. They will rat you out if they see you."

"I see, well then...I am going to make my way up. However, I am not so heartless as to leave you this way. I shall make a deal. I will tend to the annoying folk who might cause us trouble. Once I've gotten rid of the nasty ones, I'll come back and free the good ones. However, I need you to promise me one thing." 

"A-anything! Whatever you ask, I'll do it!" The man said eagerly.

"No matter the temptation, no matter the curiosity, you shall not look at me. You will guide the others and leave this place as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, I can't recommend that you go home. The guard might catch you." 

"It matters little now. If I am free, I can at least try to do something for my family. I am useless in here!" The young man added.

"Alright, as long as you understand that I am only able to help you in this dungeon. You are on your own in the castle." Gwenora said, slowly making a move to step away from the cell. 

"Wait! D-do you have a name miss?" The young man caught her. "I- I want to be able to know who I will thank someday."

Now, in typical situations, the woman wouldn't have thought anything of the request. It only made sense to want to thank the person helping you. At the same time, she wasn't exactly a person anymore. Gwenora was undead, or so she assumed at this point. Siddon hadn't said a word to her since she was back, but considering his state of being, she doubted she'd hear anything for a long while. Gwenora would be on her own for the time being. Telling this mortal man her name could cause problems, but he was young. She was trapped so long; it was possible that no one would even remember who she was when living, especially anyone who was a child during her times in the castle. 

"I am Gwenora, young man. You'd be doing me a favor if you did not go about saying it freely. If anyone gets caught, it might bring trouble upon us both."

"Yes, Miss. I'll remember your name and keep it to myself until I'm confident I'm safe and free! I promise on my soul and the gods that I shall thank you properly one day."

With those words, the strange aura around him shone brighter and whiter. Gwenora merely chuckled to herself, a smile somehow forming with her teeth. The man could not see it, and probably for the better. She was not in a state to be striking fear into a possible ally.

"Now, what is your name?" 

"Timothy, Miss." 

"I see. Well then, Timothy, remember what I have said."

Gwenora slipped off then, protected by the darkness of the hall. It would only be a matter of time before she ran into another soul or two in this dungeon. Reginald was not a forgiving man, so seeing it as empty as it was only made her wonder what other ways he was dealing with his prisoners. The thoughts that came to mind were not the most comforting. After all, if he was so hungrily seeking out a profit, then he could be selling the people as slaves or labor forces. That idea was enough to make the woman want to bite off Reginald's head, and she just might. In fact, as unsettling as it was, the idea of ripping out the king's neck with her teeth was making her feel strangely hungry. Before the woman could continue on that thought, she heard more shuffling in the dark. Turning her eyes to another cell, she saw another person, this time radiating light as dark as night, it was inky and nasty. Just seeing it made that feeling of hunger grow to a frightening amount. 

As she paused there, the individual noticed they were no longer alone. Turning, she could see it was another man, older and far more sinister looking. There was a jaggedness to his teeth and a ratted beard on his face. He had been here much longer than Timothy had. She did not hide this time, as it did not matter if the old fool could see her. 

"I know someone's there...Come closer. I promise I won't bite." He cooed, the voice was ragged and strained. "I promise I'm a changed man." 

"I'm certain you are," Gwenora said dryly, doubting it based on what her new eyes could see. 

"Oh, a lady!" The man spoke, his tone changing to a darker one. "How exciting that such a being would visit a man like me. Please, I must beg such a fine woman to allow me to touch her supple skin. It is one last request before I die here." 

"Hmm, why would you make such a request old fool?" 

"I was a man who enjoyed the more beautiful things in life, and that included women. If I must die for my crimes, then I request that I might touch your hand."

It was clear he had other intent; she could see that dark light vibrating eagerly, even growing as if to show that there was no kindness in his actions. However, she could not be hurt by him; she could not suffer pain. Gwenora also couldn't fight that hunger that kept growing in her chest, and therefore slowly slipped a hand through the bars. 

"I am nothing if not a kind and understanding soul, old fool. Take my hand."

The man seemed shocked but did not hesitate to climb to his feet and shuffle towards the bars. Without even thinking, he grasped her hand gently, the darkness keeping him from realizing he was stroking bone. The callus on his digits also helped her, the fingers so rough she doubted he could feeling anything more than the shape of her grasp. There was only a small pause before the man sinisterly growled, yanking her arm so hard that her chest was pulled tightly to the bars. His hands ran over the bracelet that had been given to her, now firmly locked in place around her wrist. 

"Foolish bitch, you should have known better than to come to my cell. That king is as dumb as they come to have let you wander so far below." 

"Is he now?" Gwenora calmly asked. "I do not disagree; Reginald is a horrid man. However, I can see he is not one of a kind." 

"Such serenity in you, wench. Do you not realize who I am? Did you not think to ask who rests below the lush life of the king?" 

"I see no reason to know your name. Now don't waste your breath, you'll tell me what you intend to do to me, won't you?"

"I suppose I could tell you since you were so kindly stupid as to listen to my request. I shall eat you woman; I shall devour any flesh I can reach. It shall sustain me just a while longer, hopefully long enough to try and make my escape. Then I shall enjoy the flesh of women again!" 

"You shall devour my flesh? I would most certainly like to see you try." Gwenora egged him on, that hunger in her chest growing so loud now that it was all that she could feel. 

The man sneered, growling even as she stood there in his grasp. Without hesitation, the man yanked her arm higher, roughly chomping down on her forearm. However, he'd only hit bone, the loud clacking sound filling the cell as he then yanked back with a cry of pain. He bit so hard into the bone that he chipped a tooth and caused another to get stuck in her arm and ripped from his gums. Stumbling back in pain, he fell on his behind and tossed about, startled by this development. Pulling her arm carefully through the bars, she plucked the tooth from her bone and threw it over her shoulder.

It was then the energy in her chest shifted, slowly running down her arm and then wrapping around a finger, slowly turning it into a key. Ah, a skeleton key! What a fine trick. If only it had popped up sooner. Maybe there was a delay on her powers after waking from such a long death. She unlocked with a simple click; the prisoner still moaning in pain to what had happened to his mouth. Closing it behind herself, Gwenora then locked it again so there would be no escape for the fool laying there. When he finally sat up, he'd find her in the same place as him; the man horrified as he desperately sat in the dark, unable to see more than just an outline of her figure. 

"What the fuck are you?" He whimpered, horrified as one hand still prodded where a tooth was missing. 

"Quite simply, you foolish bitch." Gwenora began darkly. "I'm your demise." 

With that, a tendril of energy burst from her chest, wrapping around the fool's neck and mouth, muting him as the hunger entirely consumed her mind. Teeth bared, she hissed in a horrid fashion before sinking deeply into the flesh of his shoulder. He mutely screamed into his bindings, other tendrils shooting out to hold his hands in place as Gwenora truly devoured the evil soul before her. Skin ripped under her strength, tearing and bleeding as she dug deeper and deeper into his body. Gutting him, she yanked organ after organ from his chest, chewing and crunching eagerly until the hunger that had consumed her was sated, leaving behind a messy, gutted corpse. However, on little thing remained, an orb of energy like her own. It was as black as night, and no doubt the source of his aura when he still breathed. Plucking it from the hollow of his ribcage, she looked it over slowly, taking in its horrid glow. Without thought, she popped it into her mouth, the energy inside her instantly pulling it in as it had done with his organs and flesh. Once finished, the woman drew back from the remaining bones and meat, looking down upon it for a second. She knew that she should have felt horror and guilt, but no such feeling came forth — other than a satisfaction and relief to the hunger of before. Looking up at the ceiling for a moment, Gwenora truly understood what Siddon had meant by devouring. 

Heading back towards the bars, Gwenora once more unlocked the cell and then closed it behind her. No doubt that would be how she'd free the innocent. It wasn't ideal in her mind, but there was no going back now. Mortal code did not apply to her any longer. Gwenora might as well follow the feelings that she had now.

As she wandered up towards the exit, she did as she planned. Those with light souls were spared, allowed to sit in the darkness alone. Those who were of black souls were devoured whole without warning, ripped apart and left as corpses for the king's men to find later. There were a few gray souls, those who were not yet evil, she tested them. If they were willing to repent she left them be. If not, they suffered the same fate as the black souls. Finally, after much cleansing of the dungeon, she reached the lit area of cells and the exit. She could see one guard lazily sleeping, radiating energy of darkness in his slumber. The beings in the cells were all of light, each one whimpering with eyes on the door. No doubt they were always the first to know when horrid things would come upon them. It got noted that most of these cells had only women. Staying in the shadows, Gwenora tried to think of what to do about the torches. If anyone of the women saw her, they'd scream for sure and give her away. It was then the energy made another tendril around her arm, slowly and carefully reaching out to the flames. Curious, she held her arm out towards the light, the tendril wrapping around it and consuming it whole, leaving the darkness behind.

"Perfect." She whispered to herself.

Slowly, she crawled, reaching out to each flame and putting it out until only the torch by the door remained, as the final fire went out, the guard stirred. Shocked from his slumber, he seemed confused as he tried to see before him. Gwenora pounced then, silencing him with a bite to his neck and taking him down as another tasty meal, dragging him deeper into the dungeon. With that, she was free. Gwenora was free! Sure, she still has to navigate the castle, but for the first time in a decade, she would see the light from above. However, before she could part, she had to keep her word. Timothy had been such help after all. Silently, she unlocked every cell, doing so as quietly as she could so the innocent wouldn't hear — no need for them to go blindly around in the dark. Making her way back into the darkness, she stopped at Timothy's cell, unlocking it the loudest and tossing him both the guards sword and a torch. He jumped, startled by the action but quickly gathering himself in the dark to stand. 

"Here, to make your escape easier."

"Thank you; Miss Gwenora...I'm forever in your debt." 

"Think nothing of it. If I left you here, I would be no better than the rest of the lot. Now, remember your promise. You will not look at me as you escape. To ensure that, wait until your torch lights. Once it does, go about helping the innocent. Their cells are all unlocked. Be wary though; there might be sights that will be hard to stomach in other cells."

"O-Of course! I am a man of my word. Thank you again, and please be safe in your journey." Timothy said softly. 

"Same to you. Farewell, Timothy." Gwenora said, heading back up the hall as quickly as she could muster. 

Pausing, she let a tendril reach out and send forth one of the captured flames to the torch, lighting it so that the young man could see and go about his work. Knowing that she did her best to help them all, Gwenora went about her next primary task. She had to get her hands on the king. If she didn't devour him that night, then she couldn't be sure if she'd ever get the chance again. Heading up the dimly lit staircase, Gwenora carefully opened the dungeon door. As she remembered, she was near the main hall, in a cast-off hallway. There was no guard around, allowing her to slip from the stairs and open into the hallway. Heading to the main hall, she found it barren of the parties she once remembered long ago. So far, luck was on her side.

Seeing a fountain, the woman decided to truly get a good look of herself, as well as cleanse herself of the mess she caused. Wandering over carefully, Gwenora knelt to look into the waters. Her face got covered in meat and blood, scattered bits that did not make it into her teeth. Carefully, she guided the mess into her maw, while a tendril dipped into water and started to wash away the blood of her meals. Shimmering white bone remained, almost glowing with how pristine it was, like ivory jewelry. Her eyes were as hollow as she felt, but she could see the bright orange eyes that danced about in the sockets, beady and intimidating for those who could see them. It might have been for the best that she remain unseen for a while longer, least alarm is sent all over the castle. Looking over her fingers again in a better light, she noticed that the energy in her chest seemed to hold at each joint, allowing for smooth movement. If not for that glowing orb of sorts in her chest, she would not be able to move. It was likely the source of her power and the gifts Siddon gave her. That made getting in contact with the god all the more critical. However, that would have to wait until after she killed King Raynoldus.

Not wanting to dawdle too long and have the other prisoners see her, Gwenora started to make her way down another hall. Though it had been a long time since she was out of her cell, the castle hadn't been changed much since her last time wandering it. Sure, tapestries had changed, and new carpet was laid out in the halls, but it was still the same castle she had known so well. At least that fools habits had lasted this long. It would make getting to him easier. Back in her life, Gwenora had gotten dragged to this room, but now she ran to it herself. As she hurried along, she found that it was late at night, the torches being the only light. If the king were sleeping, this would make her work all the easier. Hurrying along her way, a small part of her noticed that it was empty of any guards that evening. Odd, considering the man usually had massive patrols all over his castle, especially back when she was apart of the court. There must have been something happening that evening. 

Arriving at the door, Gwenora paused a second. For the first time in this strange journey, a sense of nervousness filled her. Could she do this? There was enough rage in her that said yes, but after she got the king what would drive her? What would push her to go about the other horrid tasks she'd have to face. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Gwenora calmed herself. She could answer those questions later. For now, there was a king to kill. 

Carefully, she pushed the door open. It was foolishly unlocked. Wandering into the chamber, she noticed that it had changed since she was last there. The furniture was lush, and the stone floor covered in thick animal furs. There, in the vast bed, the man she despised with all her fiber slept unaware of his looming death. As she approached, a grin took over her features again as that demanding hunger bubbled up once more in her chest. Getting to the edge of the bed, she got stopped by the sound of grunting. Startled, she hopped back, slinking into the shadows. Looking around, she noticed a door to the attached room was open, the one place she hated the most. It was where the king enjoyed his enslaved women, tortured them and used them to his liking. It seemed someone was in there, which was odd since it was for the king's private use. 

Looking back to the man, she figured he wouldn't be going far. As long as she stayed quiet, she doubted the king would wake from his snoring. Carefully, she made her way towards the door to the private room, being careful not to make any noise that would put attention on her. Peeking inside, she could see that there was someone inside, but not someone she expected. In the one corner, she could see, there was the oh so familiar cage where women got kept in their time of use. Inside, there were two females. It seemed that in her time below, the king had taken on a new taste for women. There was an orc, massive in size and raging. She was the one who had grunted as she was so desperately trying to rip apart the bars of the cage. She gnawed on one with her teeth and tusks, the other having her foot lodged against it in an attempt to make the opening wider. However, Gwenora knew better. The cage was enchanted by a warlock to be resistant to all abuse. The only way in or out was through the cell door. Besides the angry green woman in the cage, a smaller female was cheering her on quietly. Her ears were long and pointed while her skin was as deep as the freshest plum. A dark elf in these parts was a rarity for many reasons. They had been hunted into near extinction by the light elves for a difference of opinion when it came to belief, or so that was what Gwenora remembered from her teachings as a child. A lot could change in a decade though. Her tone was harsh and hurried, glancing to the window of the room and then the cracked open door, thankfully not seeing the skeleton in her frantic behavior. 

"Come on, Come on! I know you can do it! The cage gets weaker every day! That old fart hasn't gotten the enchantment fixed in years. You can do it, Batul!" 

"Your cheering isn't helpful!" Batul snapped in a growl, her voice muffled by the bar she bit and her struggle in work.

There was one last being in the room, a male who seemed to be keeping an eye on the window up front as Gwenora couldn't see them and heard nothing until they spoke. 

"Hurry up; the bonfire is slowing down! If you don't break those bars, then I'm going to have to leave! I can't take on a hoard of guards." 

Pulling back from the door, Gwenora glanced to the window of the king's chambers. She hurried over as quietly as she could manage, seeing a massive bonfire in the courtyard below. It seemed the guard was enjoying some free time and fucking, as it was a barbaric mash of men and poor women down there. No doubt this was why the halls were so empty of soldiers. All of them ran off to get drunk and publicly fuck since not even the king cared for decency. Looking back to the king in his bed, Gwenora found herself strained. Did she assist the trio and risk waking the king or did she slaughter the man and risk the trio attacking her from fright? Which was worse? She wouldn't die in either circumstance but did she have the heart to kill the innocently involved. Sighing to herself, Gwenora knew that she didn't have a choice. The Trio also deserved to return to their homes. Slowly, she approached the door, slipping through the opening without much concern. It was dark, so she was thankfully covered in shadow. Knowing that hiding her skeleton form was impossible in such a tightly made room, Gwenora slowly closed the door, the sound of it clicking bringing forth the attention of all three.

There was nothing but silence at first, to which Gwenora quickly put a bony finger to her teeth in a request for silence before she looked to the cage. "You can't escape that way. Even in its age, the enchantment will not allow it to bend or break. You need a key to get out." 

The man, who was also revealed to be a dark elf, though he was lucky enough to be clothed, stepped forward. He seemed to have gotten his way into the room from the outside. That meant he was attempting to free the two women before Gwenora had arrived. Slowly, as the man seemed to approach with caution, she had a finger changed into a skeleton key. With a small yank, the finger popped from her hand and got offered to the man. The dark elf looked it over, his eyes wandering up at her face and eyes with concern before glancing back at the window nervously. He took the key, making the small woman in the cage gasp shakily, no doubt expecting Gwenora to have attacked him then. 

He hurried away, going over to the cage. Batul, the orc, had stopped her work and stepped back, watching with bated breath as the key slipped into the lock and very carefully turned. The rewarding click and the popping open of the door made the trio sigh with relief. Instantly, the female elf hurried out, hugging the man tightly while Batul moved over to a pile of things off in some corner of the floor. No doubt, they were just recently captured and just stripped of their items. 

"Thank you..." Came a small sob, the female elf having turned to look at Gwenora with small tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much." 

"It's no trouble. Anything to upset the king's day is what I aim to do while I'm here."

"Even so, you saved us another day of torture. Had you not arrived, we'd be suffering his ways all over again." The orc commented, pulling on some armor plates quickly and a substantial piece of fur that draped down her back. 

"No time to chat, we've gotta go. Naenda; get dressed." The male pushed, gently sending her over to the pile of clothing. 

"Yes, it's best that you leave quickly. I don't know what will happen when the guards notice my other mess. Things could get hectic around here." The skeleton gently said as she looked over the two women. "I'll admit, it's been a while since I've been...active. Do you suppose you could give me a bit of an update? A kind soul in the dungeon helped, but I was forced to keep them in the dark for...obvious reasons. I didn't get much more than that the king has turned his people into a labor force."

"Not just the humans." The male said slowly, stepping back towards her to return the used skeleton key. "Any group that's within his empire has been victimized. We're apart of the lucky few who migrated to a new land before it was too late. However, we're facing different troubles out there. It's just a mess for anyone who isn't considered normal."

"What's normal?" Gwenora asked, asking her finger and jabbing it back onto her hand.

"Not us, and not you. What are you?"

"I'm a gift, and we'll leave it at that until I've finished my work." 

"Fair enough." The male said, looking back to the women who were now fully dressed once again. "So what are you planning to do?" 

"I'm going to eat the king." 

The female elf gasped loudly, instantly getting a hand over the mouth from the orc. The male, who seemed just as startled, took a step back for a moment. 

"Eat him?" He asked. 

"It's complicated, but yes that's the plan. Reginald is of more use as a meal then he is a king at this point. I doubt any of you have reason to try and save him or do you?" 

"Not I." The male started, looking distasteful. "The man has caused enough trouble, better he is dealt with quickly before he becomes worse."

"Precisely, now it's best that you all leave before someone finds you."

"What of you?" Asked the Orc.

"I shall be fine."

"But we can't be ungrateful."

"Batul," The male said slowly. "Please don't let your Orcish pride get the better of you. We need to go." 

"And not assist in the most significant endeavor of our lives? Killing king Raynoldus would free us all from his tyranny. His men would be easy pickings at his fall. With him dethroned we can take back the Pridelands!"

"We are not prepared for a battle like that with his guards." 

"I think we should help," Spoke the female elf. "The skeleton helped us, and in a way, she's only helping us more by killing the king. Besides, when will we ever have this opportunity again? Even if we fail, we can always hop into the moat below."

"I'm not against help, but it won't be pretty," Gwenora warned.

Before any decision could be made, the sound of rushing feet passed the room, followed by the door to the king's room burst open. As the group froze, they all looked at one another nervously as they listened to the rush of concern. It seemed that the guards had stumbled upon her mess in the dungeon. 

"Your majesty! Someone set the prisoners free!" 

"W-what?"

"Y-yes, at least the ones we saved for sale. Anyone else was- was eaten!"

"What!?"

Gwenora realized, in that second, that if the king left the room, then she would never get another chance again to kill him this way. Looking at the other's, she then turned harshly and rushed to the door, not wanting to miss the opportunity. Screw being careful! She'd have his head! The door slammed open in her rush, her eyes locking onto a small group of guards, they all seemed shocked at her appearance, even the king, and that allowed her to make the first strike. Pouncing with a roar that couldn't be considered human, she launched at one of the men and ripped out his neck, her maw chewing on the flesh while the blood spurted from in neck in a shower upon the others. Slamming the doors to the chamber closed, she glanced around in a rush to block it with something, only for a large green hand to press over the handles. 

"I've got this; kill him!" Batul the orc firmly said.

Turning, she saw the male elf holding up a pair of small dual swords, having struck down two guards. Naenda, the other elf, had used some magic and trapped two more on the ceiling. All that was left was the king and his captain of the guard. 

"What is this!? A coup?" Growled the king from behind his knight, looking disheveled and confused while in his nightgown.

"No, something far worse," Snapped Gwenora angrily. "This is your death!"

"Stop that demon! Don't let it near me!" He ordered, the knight charging only to get intercepted by the two elves in a feverish bind. 

Now defenseless, Gwenora was able to pounce the king, trapping him onto the floor as he screamed in fright. Pinning him down, she didn't allow him to break her grip, only making her clench harder on his arms until her bones slightly cut into his skin. 

"Years, Reginald... You left me down there for years. Forgotten and starving and not even the gods listened to my pleas. Men like you have corrupted the holy beings, gotten them drunk on toxic worship. I have seen what you are and you will pay for your ways!" 

"W-What are you, demon!?" The king cried in fear. 

"I am no demon; I can assure you that. A beast would be far more merciful than I! I am a monster of your creation, a figure built on rage and vengeance. I am a woman scorned. I am Gwenora!" She screeched, her voice shifting horrifically like that of a dragon.

"I-Impossible! You can't be real!" 

"I am genuine, Reginald! I am as real as everything you fear. Now it is time to pay your dues."

"What are you going to do to me, wretch?" He demanded, his voice quaking with fear and his eye slipping tears as he pathetically sobbed.

"I shall devour you slowly, one piece at a time. Quickly killing you would be too forgiving." Gwenora began, the struggle of the knight and the elves behind her starting to fade from her mind. 

"I shall first eat the hand that hit me; then I shall eat the limb that shamed me. Then, I shall devour your arms and your legs so you cannot run. Once you are trapped, I shall slowly and carefully pull out your stomach and eat you piece by piece from the inside, leaving your heart and lungs so that you might feel every ounce of pain. Then, I shall rip out the last of you with my teeth and devour your soul! Your tainted ways and bribes to the gods will be for naught. There is no escape for you; there is only death." 

"H-Hey! We've got a problem!" Batul called, the door suddenly shifting as a crowd of men tried to burst inside. 

The captain of the guard, who got pinned to the ground by the two elves, was struggling still to get free. 

"We can't stay any longer! We've got to go." The male elf called, looking to Gwenora. "Hurry and kill him!"

Turning back to the king, she lifted his struggling hand, her teeth running over the wrist as he screamed once more. Without warning, she bit into the flesh, his cries only fueling the push to get into the room. She gnawed her way through meat and bone, crunching hard to shatter it and release the hand she desired. Ripping it the rest of the way, she growled with delight as the now limp digits were sunk into with her teeth. The king screamed and cried, trying to shake her off but still failing as the energy of her chest pulled in his hand much like one would swallow a bite of dinner. Turning, she moved to his next set of fingers, letting his arm bleed out as she prepared to rip off the other. 

However, her delight was interrupted as Batul lost the door, crying as she forced herself back and jumped over to the other's to regroup. As the forces pulled in, Gwenora screeched, pausing the knights who seemed to realize that saving their king would not be as simple a task. 

"Help me you, idiots!" He roared and screamed, crying more sobs as she hissed at the lot. 

There seemed to be a standstill, neither side able to move as she looked over the king. She could not risk the lives of these kind people. It would be wrong of her to make such a sacrifice just for her vengeance. They deserved to live. There would have been no point helping them otherwise. However, this meant that her work would have to get finished another day, a feeling that brought forth a rage so strong she could only shake in agony. Reginald would live to see morning, as she knew the man well enough that he'd keep a healer of high standard close. Slowly standing, she dragged the king along the ground as she looked to the other three, blood dripping from her teeth as she spoke. 

"Free the knight, head to the window." 

Looking at her in shock, they did as told. The soldier crawled weakly to the others, glaring but shaken by the attack. Holding the king in her grip, she threw him with such strength that he knocked back the men to the ground with ease. 

"Heed my warning! I am not through with you, Reginald. I will be back, and I will devour the rest of you and any man foolish enough to stand in my way! No one is safe as long as I lurk. The sinful shall pay for their crimes and be eaten whole in my wake. I shall not rest until the world gets purged of evil! In the name of Siddon, the god of darkness, destruction, and death, I shall have my revenge!" 

As Gwenora screeched once more, the sound was so piercing that it shattered the windows, causing the trio to look on in horror as the shattering glass killed a few of the knights. Turning, she motioned for the other's to hurry before the knights had time to recover. 

Naenda got grabbed by the male elf who then rushed to the window and jumped to the murky waters below. Batul did the same with Gwenora, catching the skeleton by her spine and all but chucking her out the window before jumping herself. As they all fell through the air in the dark of the night, Gwenora watched as the window faded away, the sounds of the king's cries of pain only whispers as she and the other's plummeted into the icy water. As Gwenora sank, a dark and sinister feeling filled her whole mind, a wave of anger so genuine that she couldn't even resist it was her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Deeper into the darkness the woman went, so cold as if the skeleton was once more leaving her body. In the dark, she could hear a voice, it soft but proud in tone. 

"You've done well, child...but there is still so much work to do."


End file.
